Pilot test of a brief single-session body functionality appreciation audio meditation: Efficacy of focused and multitasking formats.

This study examined the dimensional structure and correlates of body satisfaction among middle-aged and older adult men (n = 471) and women (n = 383) who were participants in the Activity Counseling Trial. Correlates were grouped as (1) fitness parameters, (2) demographic characteristics, and (3) components of subjective well-being. Factor analyses demonstrated that body function and body appearance were independent components of satisfaction in this population. Body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness were directly related to satisfaction with body appearance; however, satisfaction with body function was most strongly related in expected directions to measures of subjective well-being. Age was positively related to both measures of body satisfaction, whereas data on race revealed that blacks were more satisfied with their body appearance and function than whites. The observed relationships for body satisfaction suggest that older adults may value body function more than body appearance. Furthermore, the associations of race and age with body satisfaction have important implications for intervention research.

This article examines the predictors of body satisfaction among older men and women. A self-reported questionnaire on body satisfaction (focused on body appearance and functioning), health, physical activity, and sociodemographic characteristics was completed by 384 older adults twice, at a year's interval. Women (n = 243) were on average 70.3 ± 7.9 years old, and men 70.9 ± 7.5 years old. Body mass index was found to be the strongest predictor of satisfaction with body appearance for both genders, along with body functioning in the case of men. Regarding satisfaction with body functioning, functional limitations were women's most important predictor of satisfaction, whereas for men body appearance was more important. Men seemed to link satisfaction with body appearance more closely to body functioning than did women. Gender differences suggest that interventions to improve body satisfaction must be gender specific, particularly those relating to body functioning.

Body Image and Televised Images of Thinness and Attractiveness: A Controlled Laboratory Investigation

The emphasis on body image has increased over the past few decades, underscoring the importance of understanding factors associated with perceptions of body satisfaction and how body satisfaction is related to physical activity (PA) participation across all subgroups in the population. Little is known about satisfaction with body function and appearance in the older adult population. Purpose The purpose of this presentation is to examine sociodemographic, psychosocial and health-related correlates for body satisfaction in an adult population ages 50 and over from the Active for Life® (AFL) pilot year (n = 768). A secondary purpose is to explore relationships between body appearance satisfaction (BAS) and body function satisfaction (BFS) with PA while controlling for age, race, education, BMI, health rating and depressive symptoms. Methods AFL was established to learn how to deliver, sustain and evaluate evidence-based PA programs to mid-life and older adults through community organizations. Nine community grantees (in 12 geographical areas) implemented one of two evidence-based PA programs. Analyses for this presentation used baseline data from the AFL pilot year. Bivariate correlates for two dependent variables (BAS and BFS) were examined using correlation coefficients for continuous independent variables and ANOVAs for categorical independent variables; ANCOVAs were run to assess relationships between BAS and BFS with PA (MET-hrs/week of moderate-intensity PA from the CHAMPS) while controlling for sociodemographic, psychological and health-related correlates and geographical area. Results More positive BAS and BFS was associated with being female, younger age and better health ratings; lower BMI and depressive symptoms and higher levels of education and PA (all ps <0.05). In multivariate models, PA remained a significant correlate of BAS (p = 0.002) and BFS (p <0.0001) after adjusting for sex, age, race, education, BMI, health status, depressive symptoms and geographical area; the model explained 29.64% of the variance in BAS and 29.23% of the variance in BFS. Conclusions The results from this study demonstrate a significant relationship between PA and BAS and BFS in an older adult population even after adjusting for sociodemographic, psychological and demographic variables. These findings suggest the importance of PA in understanding older adults' perceptions of body satisfaction, both appearance and body function satisfaction. Programs aimed at increasing PA among older adults should consider the motivational impact of improved body appearance and physical function as desired outcomes. Funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Body language. The differential impact of describing the body in terms of appearance or functionality

The current study compared a single yoga group exercise class and a resistance group exercise class for their effects on state body satisfaction and social physique anxiety in women. A pretest-posttest design was used. Participants (N = 46) completed both a resistance exercise class and yoga class in a counterbalanced order. Measures of body satisfaction and social physique anxiety were completed immediately before and after each class. A 2 (time) × 2 (class type) repeatedmeasures multiple analysis of variance showed a significant overall Time × Class Type interaction (F2,44 = 5.69, P < .01, η p2 = .21). There was a significant increase in body satisfaction after the yoga class. After both classes, there was a significant decrease in social physique anxiety, but the magnitude of the change was larger after the yoga class than after the resistance class. Both types of exercise class were associated with improvements in body image, but there were greater improvements after the yoga class. This study provided evidence of the positive effects of yoga for reducing state social physique anxiety and increasing state body satisfaction, adding to correlational evidence suggesting that yoga is particularly beneficial for improving body image-related outcomes in women.

BackgroundBody dissatisfaction is a global public health issue negatively impacting young people’s mental and physical well-being, underscoring an urgent need to develop early interventions. Emerging evidence suggests that microinterventions are acceptable and effective in delivering mental health interventions. Given the popularity of video games among young people, gaming holds great promise for body image microinterventions. As such, we developed Super U Story, a stand-alone, self-paced, narrative-based adventure video game for the popular gaming platform Roblox grounded in the Tripartite Influence Model of body dissatisfaction and basic tenets of positive body image.ObjectiveThis trial evaluated the effectiveness of playing a purpose-built Roblox video game once on US children and adolescents’ state and trait body image and related outcomes. Gameplay was capped at 30 minutes.MethodsOverall, 1059 US-based girls and boys (n=460, 43.4% girls) aged 9 to 13 years (mean age 10.9, SD 1.36 years) from diverse ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic backgrounds were recruited online via a research agency into a 3-arm, online, parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants were assigned to an intervention group, active control group (a Roblox game called Rainbow Friends 2 Story [Color Story]), or attention control group (web-based word search). Participants completed self-report assessments at baseline (1 week before the intervention and before randomization), immediately before and after intervention testing, and 1 week after the intervention. Outcomes included state measures of body satisfaction (primary outcome), mood, and body functionality and trait measures of body esteem, body appreciation, internalization of appearance ideals, and social media literacy. Data were evaluated using repeated-measure analysis of covariance controlling for baseline. Engagement and acceptability data were collected.ResultsIntervention participants showed improved state body satisfaction (F1,694=5.20; P=.02; ηp2=0.01) relative to the active control but not in comparison to the attention control. State mood, state body functionality, internalization of appearance ideals, and social media literacy showed no effects. Relative to the intervention group, the active control showed improved trait body esteem (F1,663=5.40; P=.02; ηp2=0.01) and body appreciation (F1,663=6.08; P=.01; ηp2=0.01). Exploratory analyses found that age and gender did not moderate the effects. We were unable to examine dose-response effects. Acceptability scores were good. Self-report engagement data suggested that participants experienced a highly variable and often low-dose exposure.ConclusionsThis large-scale, fully powered trial is the first to assess the effectiveness of a Roblox-based body image intervention, demonstrating the potential for disseminating microinterventions to children and adolescents on large and popular commercial platforms. Overall, playing Super U Story did not cause harm; however, evidence is lacking to suggest that it improved body image. Learnings are discussed, including psychoeducation as an intervention technique, “chocolate-covered broccoli” phenomena (ie, losing players who recognize thinly disguised educational messages), and measuring intervention engagement.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05669053; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05669053

Body positivity content on social media refers to content that rejects narrowly defined beauty standards and celebrates body diversity. Previous research has found that viewing body positivity content is associated with more positive body image (e.g., higher body satisfaction). However, no research to date has examined the links between body positivity social media content and body image among sexual minority men. Our primary aim was to determine whether exposure to body positivity was associated with body satisfaction and mood. Our secondary aim was to explore how comparing oneself to body positivity influences body satisfaction and mood. Sexual minority men recruited from Grindr (n = 530; Mage= 33.36) completed a 1-week ecological momentary assessment protocol reporting whether they encountered body positivity content on their own social media feeds and completing self-report measures of state body satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect. Contrary to hypotheses, unique exposure to body positivity had no significant association with body satisfaction, negative affect or positive affect. Furthermore, comparing oneself to body positive content was associated with lower body satisfaction (b = -1.88, p = .002), reduced positive affect (b = -1.85, p = .004), and heightened negative affect (b = 2.21, p = .004). Our findings suggest that while body positivity content on social media may be well-intentioned, it does not improve body image among sexual minority men and could worsen mood and body image. Further research is needed to examine the extent to which body positivity content targeting sexual minority men aligns with academic and lay definitions of body positivity.

This study aimed to investigate self-reported physical activity levels, perceived body appearance, and body functioning in relation to perceived wellbeing among adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was performed in four upper secondary schools in one municipality in southern Sweden. Data were obtained from questionnaires completed by 1,491 adolescents (55.4% females; median age 16; range 15–17 years) during school hours. The participation rate was 71.4%. Logistic regression analyses were carried out with wellbeing as the dependent variable. The independent variables included gender, perceived family financial situation, perceived body appearance, perceived body function, and physical activity level. Perceived positive wellbeing was associated with being satisfied with their body's appearance (OR 3.4; CI 2.6–4.4) and function (OR 3.1; CI 2.2–4.2), being physically active three or more times per week (OR 1.5; CI 1.1–2.0), and a good perceived family financial situation (OR 3.3; CI 1.6–6.7). Gender was not significantly associated with wellbeing. A positive body image, which include both body appearance and body function, and high physical activity levels were significantly associated with wellbeing in adolescents, corroborating the importance of promoting physical activity among younger populations.

This study evaluated an adapted version of ‘Happy Being Me’, a school-based body image intervention, with girls and boys aged 10–11 years. Forty-three children participated in a three-week intervention, and 45 children formed a control group. Both groups completed measures of body satisfaction, risk factors for negative body image, eating behaviors, self-esteem, and intervention topic knowledge, at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. For girls, participation in the intervention resulted in significant improvements in body satisfaction, appearance-related conversations, appearance comparisons, eating behaviors and intervention topic knowledge at post-intervention, although only the change in body satisfaction was maintained. There was also a significant decrease in internalization of cultural appearance ideals from baseline to follow-up. For boys, participation in the intervention resulted in significant improvements in internalization and appearance comparisons at post-intervention; however, neither of these changes were sustained at follow-up. There were no improvements in the control group over time.

“It’s very valuable to me that I appear capable”: A qualitative study exploring relationships between body functionality and appearance among women with visible physical disabilities

Appearance comparison on Instagram: The impact of fitspiration and transformation imagery on young women's body satisfaction

The effectiveness of positive appearance and functionality reflective writing tasks on state body image and response to idealised media exposure among 35–60 year-old women

OBJECTIVES: Studies on body satisfaction have been neglecting a possible contribution of temporal comparisons (TC) for determining people's satisfaction with their body. The purpose of this work is to provide preliminary data on the usefulness of TC theory in determining body satisfaction in elderly individuals. METHODS: Participants were 18 functionally limited elderly adults, aged 68-90 years. After receiving three theory-related stimuli (social comparison, temporal comparison, and self-schema), they completed two scales: a scale on satisfaction with body functioning and a scale on body appearance satisfaction. RESULTS: Satisfaction with body functioning and satisfaction with body appearance did not differ among theory-related stimuli. TC-related correlations were stronger than the other theory-related correlations, even when adjusted for confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that TC theory may be a useful framework for explaining body satisfaction in the elderly. Studies on this subject should be encouraged. However, further research is needed before any conclusion can be drawn.

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